Wednesday, 18 June 2014

Make Your Own Transfers

My time has been taken up with making cards over the last couple of days but now that my friend has gone back home and I have been good and cleaned up, I decided I was entitled to some play time.

Of course, for me, this means craft room fun. There was an idea that had been simmering in my head for a while, I can't remember where I saw it. Making your own transfers. I seemed to remember it involved spray hair gel and projector film, neither of which I happen to have. Hmm. What to use instead?

Well, the film could be replaced by cutting up one of those acetate paper sleeves and ah! I do have some liquid hair gel but not the spray kind. I don't often do anything with my hair, so it wouldn't be missed! I had a failed attempt at watering it down to spray but it needed to be so thin that it may as well have been water, so that was not a good idea. It would have to be either wiped on with a cloth or brushed on very thinly. I settled for the latter. I also tried just using hairspray but that didn't quite do it. Note - printer ink does not adhere to the acetate unless it is coated...I tried that too!

The side you put the gel on is the one you print on so I was sure to mark it just in case! I used normal print setting to see what would happen. Literally, all I did was to print a design, turn it over, place it on paper and rub the back with a plastic scraper.

It worked. The image was transferred. Now you may wonder what on earth you would want to bother for, so I shall tell you. Quite often I make cards with 3D things on them ( for future use) but have no idea what sentiment I need. Since they are cut out and decorated, I can no longer put them through the printer to add a sentiment and I don't always want to add a stick on. This gives a printed look that I want. One caution - if using for sentiments, don't forget to flip the wording before printing.

Now - if you follow the steps above, you can also make temporary tattoos. Once printed, cut a piece of sticky backed clear plastic and lay it over the ink. Rub well, making sure there are no air bubbles.

Lift the plastic and apply to the skin, hold a wet cloth over it for a minute and peel off. Allow to air dry or whiz a dryer over it. Spray with hair spray to set it. It won't be waterproof but would last for a party!

Disclaimer - don't use if you have very sensitive skin and never on broken skin. Like hair dyes, ink and other chemicals can cause reactions. Try at your own risk!